The family of a young Georgia father who was killed last summer by an alleged drunk driver is suing the strip club where the man had been drinking in the hours before the fatal crash.
The suit, which was filed on behalf of the victim’s 6-year-old son in DeKalb County State Court, claims that Oasis Goodtime Emporium should not have continued serving the patron who was “noticeably intoxicated.” It also asserts that the valet employee who worked for the club should not have given him the keys to his car to drive away from the Doraville club.
The 31-year-old victim was driving to work shortly before 4:30 a.m. late last August when the other driver allegedly T-boned him after running a red light. The man who was killed worked as an assistant manager at a Chick-fil-A in Atlanta.
The victim’s family has faced this type of tragedy before. They say that the man’s grandmother was killed by a drunk driver.
The other driver, who had been at the club since around 1:00 a.m., is facing charges including vehicular homicide and DUI. He also allegedly had a suspended driver’s license. His trial is scheduled to begin later in the month. He isn’t named as a defendant in this suit. It wasn’t reported whether the family is considered suing him separately.
Under Georgia’s dram shop liability laws, plaintiffs can file civil claims against establishments like clubs, restaurants and bars as well as liquor stores and even private individuals who allow a person who’s visibly intoxicated to drive if that person is involved in a collision or commits a crime as a result of being drunk. That’s why it’s wise for victims of drunk drivers and surviving family members to explore all of their legal options.
